George f



(No Model.)

G. F. MIL-LIKEN.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 394,784. Patented Dec. 18, l888.-

Wifineaaes, Jim/ 670607? Mrs rates PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE E. MILLIKEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR TO THE GAME-IVELL AUXILIARY FIRE ALARM COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,784, dated December18, 1888.

' Application filed June 21, 1888. Serial No. 277,777- (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. MILLIKEN, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvementsin Electric Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to electric alarms or signals, and moreespecially to such as operate with a continuous ring brought about bythe automatic magnetization and demagnetization of the signal-actuatingelectro-magnet. Its main object is to provide a return or re sponsivesignal for any main or auxiliary municipal system. of electrical alarmsor calls, whereby the due operation of the distant alarm-receivingapparatus may be caused to automatically indicate or announce itself atthe sending-station, so that it shall unquestionably be known that theapparatus has fully and efficiently performed its ot'tice.

To this end it consists in the combination, with such a system, of anelectro-magnet in a normally-open electric circuit, the same beingprovided with an armature normally retracted to a position intermediatebetween its extreme front and rear limits, so that when the saidarmature is at rest the circuit which passes through its magnet-helices,a battery, the armature itself, and through vibrating contacts at therear limit shall remain open.

It consists, moreover, in combining such systems, when so provided, withsuitable means for setting up initial vibrations in the said armature,which, rebounding, passes its point of rest, and, making contact withthe circuit-closing point of its rear limit, closes the circuit of itsactuating-magnet through the same, and thereupon is attracted, andcontinues to vibrate until the battery is exhausted or until positivelystopped. The preferable way of setting the armature initially in motionis to provide that the same electromagnet shall be included also in asecond circuit, which shall also be normally open, but which is providedat any pointor points with a suitable circuit-closer, which, whenoperated, causes the magnet to become energized and thereupon to attractits armature. \V hen the circuit is again opened, the armature will fallback beyond its normal position, and, reaching its back stop, will allowthe magnet to become again energized, but this time in the firstcircuit, and with the result, as already stated, of setting upcontinuous vibration, though the starting-circuit be now maintained 5 5op en. It is immaterial whether the same battery be, as well as theelectro-magnet, common to both circuits or whether each be provided withan individual battery.

It will be seen that the invention is based upon a peculiar arrangementof mechanism, which, not new in itself, is here for the first timerendered available as a response or return signal in combination with asystem of fire or other alarmsviz., that an armature forming part of anelectric circuit, including its magnet, a battery, and vibrating points,and normally occupying an intermediate position or point of rest inadvance of its rear stop, and thus maintaining its circuit open, 70,will, when once set in vibration, either electrically or otherwise,continue to vibrate upon its back stop, its magnet being alternatelymagnetized and demagnetized. The electromagnet may, when used as areturn-signal, operate simply as a buzzer or the armature may, ifdesired, be furnished with a bell-hammer and arranged to strike a bell.

The drawing, which illustrates and forms a part of this specification,shows an electrical system of fire-alarms in which my invention isincorporated as a response-signal.

In the figure, on is the signal eleetro-magnet, (1 its armature, and Bits vitalizing-battery.

The drawing shows my invention embodied in a system of auxiliaryfire-alarm substantially identical with that for which Letters PatentNo. 377,083-were granted to myself and H. B. Lytle, jointly, January 31,1888. In this system the street-box of any municipal fire-alarm includedin the regular firealarm circuit 5 operates the said circuit by means ofa suitable break or signal wheel, a, and a contact-spring, 12, and whenin operation breaks and makes the said circuit, which includes abattery, B and thus is adapted to transmit signals to the fire-station.(Not shown.) This box is controlled by an electromagnet, G, in anauxiliary alarm-sending cir- 10o cuit, T, which is led through one ormore auX- iliary or local alarm-sending stations, C. At

any of these stat-ions (I have for greater clearlless here shown butone) the auxiliary circuit T maybe closed, and the magnet (J in the boxthen acts to trip the mechanism and to allow the rotation of thesignal-wheel. The auxiliary alarnreircuit T is at all times closed on asmall battery, 13, which, however, does not furnish a currentsufficiently strong to energize the releasing electro-mz'ignet U in thebox R. The normal route of this circuit maybe thus traced: from batteryI Z by wire :L to electro-magnet ti; thence by wire 7, contact-point 8,circuit-breaking lever 9, wire 'w to switch-pivot 2/ at home station 0,switch 5, switch-button 1, and by wire 0 to the other pole of the smallbattery. By suitable appliances, forming no part of this invention, thecontinuity of this circuit can, by the aid of the small battery 1-3, heat any time tested.

The alarm-sending apparatus at station consists of a circuit-changingswitch, .9, operated by a chain, rod, or cord, 2, and ring 1', orequivalent starting device. This switch connects with three buttons, 1,2, and i, being normally, as shown, upon 1, and when the alarm is sent,which is etifected by pulling the ring 0', it passes from 1 to 3, makingcontact intermediately with In this system the object oi theelectro-magnm' m is to serve as a return-signal, and to that end itsterminal wires 1) and q are led, res 'iectively, to the switch-studs 2and 3-3. Switch-stud i2 is likewise united by wire 3 with one pole ofbattery B, which is so large that when introduced into the alarm-circuitT the current flowing therein will be strong enough to energize thebox-magnet ti and trip the mechanism. It must be noted that theresponsive signal-magnet n2 is provided with an armature, a, mounted ona retracting and supporting spring, I), and that this armature, when atrest, occupies an intermediate position between its front and backlimits of motion, so that it is not normally in contact with the backcontact-spring, 71, which, by wire f, is united to switch-stud Thearmature a, through. its bracket 1), is also united by a wire with thepivot of switch 5-. The magnet in is, by virtue of these connections,common to two circuits-viz., the auxiliary signal-circuit and a localshunt of the sameand the closing ot the former circuit through thebz'ittery l5 and magnet, as described, followed by the opening thereof,transfers both battery and magnet to the shunt cireuit, whereby acontinuous alarm maintained. after the auxiliary circuit is opened.

It should now be stated that in the operation of the auxiliarytire-alarm, it is desirable that the sender of an alarm should inallcases receive a responsive signal, whereby he may know not only thatthe signal has reached the box, but also that the box has been set inmotion and has in turn fulfilled its functions. In the patent whichIhave hereinbefore cited such adevice is shown; but my present inventionis especially well adapted for this pro:-

pose, and its funet ion is, by virtue of a change in the main auxiliarycircuit, effectuated by the motion of the box mechanism to furnish theres muse-si nal which it does 1) Y actin D 7 b as a buzzer.

Incl uded in the circuit T,and inclosed with in the box R, is a switchor circuit-hreaker, S), arranged to be acted upon by the arm 11, whichis fastened by a sleeve or otherwise to the axis of the signal-wheel. a.The arm 11. in passing round engages with the switch-levmf), foreing itaway from its contact 8, and thus opens the circuit T, and thisoperation it is which actuates the responsive signal.

If an alarn'i is to be sent in from station (3, the ring 7' is pulleddown. \Vhen in transit it first makes contact with stud 2, the circuitof the large battery 13 is closed on the main line through thebox-stacrtin g magnet releas ingthemeehanism; but the buzzer-magnetm isnot yet introduced. Continuing to pull. the ring 2' downward, contact isnext made with the lowest stud, 3, when the circuit of the battery l isstill closed on the main line, as he tore, but now includes also themagnet in, which in consequence attracts its armature. As the boxmechanism continues to rotate, the eircuit-hreaking switch 9 isoperated, ln'eaking the main circuit T. The armature oi" thebuzzer-magnet now falls back; but the force of its spring carriesithackbeyond its normal position into contact with the spring 71. Thisshort-circuits the bz'ittery B through the buzzer-magnet n: and itsarmature and vibrating points, and viln'ations are set up, whichcontinue as long as the starting ring or hook is held down, maintainingthe lever or switch on stud 3. The alarm-sender is almost instantlyinformed, therefore, that his signal is received by the respondin buzzof the magnet m and its arnntture, and may let go the rin at once.

It is obvious that my invention is especially well adapted forapplication to this and similar systems. I desire to point out that,though I have shown the controlling-oircuit as being of considerablelength, I do not restrict myself to any special length or form.

I do not claim as my invention a device in which an eleetro-magnet in anormally-open circuit, inehuling its armature and vibratingcireuit-ln-eaker operated thereby, is also common to a second andnormally-closed circuit, by which it is normally energized, so that itsarmature is normally attracted to its forward position and the vibratorycircuit maintained inopm-ative as long the closure of the Second circuitis cmitinued, this being old in the art. On the contrary, one oi theprincipal advantages of my invention is, that it allows thecontrolling-circuit to be normally open, or, if desired for testing, tohave but a small battery closed thereon, and thereby is extremelyeconomical in maintenance, since the use of an open-oi rcuit mainljiattery, with its consequent saving in battery material, is thus madepos sible.

For the purposes of this invention it is not necessary in all cases thatthe circuit originally be absolutely open as a whole, the conditionsbeing equally fulfilled if it be open so far as concerns theelectro-magnet or the operating-battery.

I claim- 1. A municipal or other electric alarm system, comprising amain electric circuit, a main battery, and a response-signal magnet,both normally disconnected from the said circuit, and a key or switchadapted to be manually operated, and thereby to introduce successivelythe battery and magnet into the said main circuit, a normally-openshunt-circuit of the same battery, including the said magnet, and alsoits rmature and back stop or vibratory contacts, all at thealarm-sending station, and a clock mechanism, an electro-magnetcontrolling and adapted when energized to release the same, and acircuit-breaking device actuated by the said mechanism, bothelectro-magnet and circuit-breaking device being included in the saidmain circuit, all at a second or alarm-receiving station, whereby themagnet of the response-signal at the home station may be constantlyenergized by the battery-current in the main circuit when the signal issent, and intermittently energized and caused to give theresponse-signal, by inclusion together with its armature and vibratorypoints in the shunt-circuit upon the automatic operation of the distantcircuitbrcaker by means of the clock mechanism at the alarm-receivingstation, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In an auxiliary fire-alarm-telegraph system, the combination, with amain circuit, a si gnal-transmittin g device acting to introduce abattery into the said circuit, and an electromagnet in a fire-alarm boXat a distant station, said magnet being adapted when energized to tripthe mechanism of said box, of a response or return signal comprising anelectro-magnet introduced into the main circuit by the act of sendingthe signal, a spring-armature and back contact therefor normally out ofcontact with one another, and a normally-open shunt-circuit of the mainbattery controlled by the said armature and back contact and includingthe said magnet, and an automatic circuit-breaker in the main circuitoperated by the box mechanism when tripped, and acting to break the saidmain circuit through the response-magnet, whereby the armature thereofis allowed to rebound upon its back contact, and thereby to close theshunt-circuit and to give a Vibratory signal, substantially asdescribed.

A main electric circuit, a battery and an electro-magnet normallydisconnected therefrom, and an armature for the said magnet, whicharmature when at rest is out of contact with its back stop, anormally-open shunt or local circuit through the said armature and itsback stop or contact, and adapted when closed to include also theelectro-magnet and battery, a circuit-closing switch or key arranged toinclude the said battery and electro-magnet in the main circuit and toclose the same, causing the magnet to be energized and to attract itsarmature, and an independent and automatic circuit-breaker to open thesaid main circuit for the purpose of allowing the armature to reboundbeyond its point of rest and to make contact with its back stop andvibrate thereon, thus directing an intermittent or vibratory currentthrough the shunt-circuit and electro-magnet and producin g a continuoussignal, substantially hereinbefore described.

In testim ony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 16th day of June, 1888.

GEORGE F. MILLIKEN.

